Aleem Bukhari's 'Karmash' takes flight to Cannes

Pakistani filmmaker Aleem Bukhari's short film Karmash has been officially selected for the 57th Directors' Fortnight (Quinzaine des Cinéastes) at the Cannes Film Festival — a major international spotlight for emerging auteurs.

As reported by Deadline, Karmash is listed in the Short and Medium Length category with Before the Sea Forgets, Blue Heart, When the Geese Flew, among others. Bukhari himself also shared the news in a heartfelt Instagram post where he described the emotional weight of the moment and the years of grit it took to get there.

"Our short film Karmash has been officially selected for the prestigious 57th Directors' Fortnight," he wrote. "I'm beyond honoured and overjoyed to share that it will have its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival this May."

In a post that read like a love letter to independent filmmaking, Bukhari reflected on the surreal joy of seeing a dream come to life. "Never thought this would happen in real life, only ever dreamt it," he admitted.

The director credited the film's co-producers Sleepbyte Films and Braanz Films (helmed by Irfan Noor) for holding steady through the chaos, recalling moments when passion was the only currency they had. "Even when we lacked the resources and means, [you] consistently stayed true to our passion for cinema and adamant belief that, yes, we need to make films this way, or not at all," he wrote.

Tagging key collaborators Shahzain Ali, Irfan Noor, Muhammad Ali Shaikh, Talpur Ebad, Qadir Jani, and Salman Israr, Bukhari painted a vivid picture of camaraderie and creative resilience - including a moment spent sweating in the brutal summer sun, fighting to perfect a single shot.

Friends and fans of Bukhari flooded his social media with congratulatory messages, praising his dedication and vision. Director Janan Sindu poignantly noted "Really happy to read this news. Congratulations to all the team members. They'll see Hyderabad in Cannes!" while others commented, "So happy for you," and "Heartfelt congratulations, buddy! So proud of you, my boys."

While Karmash remains under wraps ahead of its world premiere, the announcement has sparked excitement across Pakistan's indie film circuit, where such recognitions are both rare and hard-won.

This is more than just a festival nod; it's a seismic moment for Pakistani cinema, one that amplifies new voices pushing aesthetic and political boundaries. And if Bukhari's post is anything to go by, he's just getting started.

"We are going to Cannes!" he finished, with a joy that felt impossible not to catch.